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| A trio of vultures looking for their next meal. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| This is the first time we’ve seen a baby kudu sucking in our garden. What a lovely scene! |
As I sit here on the sofa in the lounge room, feet propped up on a pile of pillows, walker at an easy reach for when I get up, I’m trying to wrap my brain around leaving South Africa in 24 days.
Even if none of this medical stuff had transpired, it would be challenging to think about leaving after living so long in the bush. Did I get it out of my system? I wish I could say I had.
But lying here week after week, unable to go out onto the veranda, has made me wish I could have spent more “up close and personal” time with the wildlife that has visited us over these past 14 months.
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| A trio of giraffes drinking from the little pond remaining in the Verhami Dam during the heat of summer. |
I envisioned, before the medical crisis, that I’d somehow say my goodbyes to my favorites on the last few days before we’d leave. But, now this isn’t likely, and thus my goodbyes will be from inside the house.
It makes me sad to think that they’ll stop by day after day and night after night looking for pellets and animated attention from us and, we won’t be here. Fortunately, they no longer need the pellets and our other offerings to survive with a good supply of vegetation in the park. We’re grateful for that.
I don’t know when holidaymakers will be occupying this house after we leave. Still, surely, they’ll reap the benefits of attracting so many visitors to the garden after this extended stay.
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| Two female lions were contemplating their next move. |
However, regardless of the limitations of my still painful left leg, we’re moving on. Surely, by the next few weeks, I’ll be able to handle the dressings independently. But, if need be, we’ll find a good doctor nearby that will assist in the ongoing treatment of my leg.
Perhaps after tomorrow, when the stitches are removed, I’ll feel some relief and will be able to start walking again. I’m grossly behind on the necessary walking regime after coronary bypass surgery, but as soon as I’m able, I’m looking forward to rebuilding my strength and muscle tone.
Lying around all day (and night) has a deleterious effect on one’s strength and conditioning. I will have to start all over again, beginning at walking a mere 10 minutes a day and progressing from there.
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| A young male whose mane has yet to grow fully. |
We’ve decided, no matter what, we’ll arrange a wheelchair for me at the various airports along our journey to Ireland. It’s unrealistic to assume I’ll be able, in a mere 24 days, to walk the long distances required in most airports.
And now, as the time nears, I’m working on psyching myself to return to my previous “travel state of mind.” The enthusiasm, the excitement, and the fervent anticipation are feelings that had alluded me since the end of January when all of this began.
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| Lazy days… |
I am bound and determined to get myself there well before we depart. These same feelings drive a person not only to emotionally prepare for the journey but to become enthused enough to start packing.
The thought of looking out the window of our next holiday home in Connemara, Ireland, and seeing the vast ocean before us may be inspirational enough to drive me forward to this next phase of our lives.
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| Naptime in Kruger. |
Be well. Be happy. And dream of what is yet to come.
Photo from one year ago today, April 17, 2018:
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| Tom took this photo one year ago that still makes me laugh…Mutton Chops on the left and Scar-Face on the right, already on his knees in prime position for eating pellets. Of course, we complied. We love it when these two stop by, often twice a day. We haven’t seen these two in six months and hope they’ll return before we leave in 24 days. For more photos from that date, please click here. |